PENNA. SOCIETY SHOWS HOW COLLEGIALITY WORKS

The US Congress should take note of the Pennsylvania Society activities each year. As we approach the fiscal cliff, it is really urgent that all sides agree to compromise. They would see that Democrats and Republicans, competing law firms, various colleges and universities fighting for the same piece of the pie â€“ can put all their differences aside for a weekend and just agree to get along, socialize, discuss serious issues but also have a great time.

You will see several other college presidents showing up at the Penn Club breakfast each year, and the same is true for the Temple Breakfast the next day. Mayors and Senators and Congress members and state officials by the score are present at every turn.

To show that some lessons have been learned from the recent presidential election, Gov. Tom Corbett made it a point to show up early Saturday morning to do a live radio interview with the Spanish-Language station, WHAT-AM, which had set up in the Waldorf Astoria lobby. Corbett also was one of the speakers at the Forum for a Better Pennsylvania, a gathering of heavy-duty African American professionals.

After Corbett, four major Democratic officials, including State Sens. Vincent Hughes, Jay Costa, Anthony Hardy Williams, and Democratic Leader of the House Frank Dermody, spoke, answered questions, and corrected some of Gov. Corbettâ€™s statements about the budget process.

The Genevieve Society, which promotes women candidates, also attracts a number of men to their reception each year who are elected officials or candidates. Attorney General-Elect Kathleen Kane and Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz spent time networking there. A stop at this reception is mandatory for anyone considering a run for higher office, like Governor.

It was very interesting to hear from former Gov. Dick Thornburgh and former Gov. Tom Ridge, independent of each other, how angry they are with US Sen. Pat Toomey for his vote against the UN Treaty on Disability Rights. But maybe Ridge and Thornburgh are Republicans of a glorious past, a Republican party which barely exists any more.

But the Republicans held as many fundraising receptions as the Democrats did, so maybe change is in the wind. And the Pennsylvania Society dinner with its Gold Medal award-winner is always the highlight of the weekend.

John Dougherty and the IBEW host a traditional dance party at the Waldorf Astoria. Here Dougherty greets the City Controller Alan Butkovitz and his wife Theresa. Bob Pantano did the honors at the dance party.
Photo by: Bonnie Squires

SOME of the VIPs on the PA Society dais at the award dinner at the Waldorf Astoria included (l to r) PA First Lady Susan Corbett; honoree M. Night Shyamalan; Terese Casey, wife of Senator Bob Casey; and Senator Pat Toomey. Photo by Bonnie Squires

CONGRESSMAN Joe Pitts receives the Childrenâ€™s Champion award from Steve Altschuler, MD, CEO of Childrenâ€™s Hospital of Philadelphia. CHOP also honored State Sen. Vincent Hughes at the same reception. Photo by Bonnie Squires

Aqua America’s President and COO Chris Franklin, Bucks County Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, and Denis Wint, CEO of The Franklin Institute, and his wife Anne, get ready to enter the Blank Rome reception.
photo by Bonnie Squires

Penn President Amy Gutmann teams up with David L. Cohen, who chairs Penn’s board of trustees, at the highly popular Penn Breakfast at the Penn Club in Manhattan during PA Society weekend.
Photo by Bonnie Squires

At the Forum for a Better Pennsylvania, Senators Vincent Hughes and Jay Costa were among the Democratic speakers who followed Governor Tom Corbett with remarks and analysis of the budget crunch.
Photo by Bonnie Squires

At the Blank Rome reception in New York, a highlight of the Pennsylvania Society annual weekend for political junkies, (l to r) PA State Treasurer Rob McCord enjoys a laugh with political consultants Jeff Jubelirer and Larry Ceisler.
Photo by Bonnie Squires

Former Montgomery County chairman Jim Matthews and his wife Karen enjoy meeting up with one of Jim’s classmates at the Blank Rome reception Friday night.
photo by Bonnie Squires

Bill Greenlee, Mike Stack and Abbe Fletman at the Genevieve Society event. Stack gave out his “Stack 2014” buttons, and Abbe gave out her running-for-judge buttons.
Photo by Bonnie Squires

THE PA Society awarded the Gold Medal this year to filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, who is seen here at the dinner with actress and documentary filmmaker Melissa Fitzgerald, who did the voiceover for the tribute video to Shyamalan, and his wife Dr. Bhavna Shyamalan. Photo by Bonnie Squires

FORMER Congresswoman and Penn Prof. Marjorie Margolies talks to Chris Mallios, Esq., and Bill Misnett, MD at Penn Club Breakfast at Penna. Society in New York. Photo by: Bonnie Squires

Many university officials were present at all the receptions. Seen here at the Penn Club reception, hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, are Temple University Interim President Richard Englert, talking to Mayor Michael Nutter about his recent trip to China, where Temple runs programs.
Photo by Bonnie Squires

At the Penn Club breakfast, President Amy Gutmann had a chance to talk to U.S. Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz.

BONNIE SQUIRES is a regular contributor to the Philadelphia Public Record. She can reached at:Â (610) 649 0998

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